Remarks by the President in Photo Opportunity with the New England Patriots
The Rose Garden
1:32 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for coming. Please be seated.
Welcome back. The mighty New England Pats have returned, just like he
told me they would. It's such an honor to welcome the team back here.
I'm especially glad to see Tom Brady. I'm trying to figure out what
it's like to be around a real celebrity. (Laughter.)
Bob Kraft is a owner who knows how to win. And congratulations on
winning the Super Bowl. (Applause.) What I appreciate is the fact
that in the contracts you sign with the players that you include a
commitment to participate in at least 10 public service events each
year. I appreciate the commitment. I also appreciate the players'
commitment, as well.
You've got a great head coach, obviously. You can't win Super
Bowls 66 percent of the time in a three-year period unless you've got a
great coach. (Applause.) Congratulations.
I want to congratulate all the players who are here. For those of
you who weren't here two years ago, this is a pretty cool place to
come. I want to congratulate the people who work to make a team go
well, the trainers and the person -- the equipment personnel, the
people who never get the -- who never get heralded. I understand it's
-- the players, obviously, are the ones that make it happen, but there
are a lot of people behind the scenes that have worked long and hard to
support these guys. And I want to congratulate you, as well.
I appreciate Sununu, the Senator from New Hampshire. He's a huge
fan of the team, as is Ed Markey and Jim McGovern, people from the
mighty Massachusetts delegation. We're proud you're here. Thanks for
coming. (Applause.) Andy Card, the Chief of Staff here at the White
House, is a longtime Patriots fan. He's constantly reminding me how
great the Pats are, on a Sunday-by-Sunday basis. And Andrew Natsios,
as well, is a Pats fan. Obviously, we've got quite a few here. If the
Rose Garden were bigger, there would be a lot more people here, I
assume. Welcome. I'm glad you're here.
The thing -- a couple of things impressed me. One, you never lost
a home game. That's really good marketing. (Laughter.) That's a
smart way to do it -- to fill up your stadium and have your fans go
home happy every game. I watched some of your games. I appreciate the
dramatic comebacks that you were capable of making. I like it when a
kicker ends up winning the game. You like it when the kicker ends up
winning the game. I know Adam is with us today. I am really impressed
at how cool you are under fire, and how -- like, I need a few
suggestions before a press conference, if you don't mind.
I also appreciate so very much the coach. I don't know what it's
like in the locker room, but I remember when you were here last year --
or two years ago -- and you said you were going to say a few words and
you said like four words. (Laughter.)
COACH BELICHICK: I got carried away.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, right. You got carried away. (Laughter and
applause.)
Here's what I like about this team: They had a thousand hours of
volunteer service to communities in Massachusetts and New England.
That's a lot of hours for people who are spending a lot time practicing
and reading play books. That is an unbelievably important example for
champions to set for others. I know you supported the Boys and Girls
Club and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund,
the ROSE Fund to end domestic violence. I really want to thank you for
that. Listen, it's one thing to be a champ on the field, and
obviously, that's what every player strives for. But to be able to be
a complete person like you have been is really important. And you set
such a good example of what it means to serve something greater than
yourself.
I know there's a lot of fans that come to your game. You also know
there are fans that are rooting for you who wear the uniform of the
United States military - a lot of Pats fans out there who are scattered
around the world, doing everything they can to defend us and to protect
us. They are cheering in places like Afghanistan and in Iraq and in
other countries. It is -- I can't tell you how important it is for
them to see the action from home, to see the great players performing
on the field of play. It's also important for them to know that our
players care for them a lot, that they understand that we're grateful
for their service, and grateful to their families, as well, for the
sacrifices they're making.
We have got some unbelievable troops, fantastic men and women who
understand -- (applause) -- people understand that they're serving
something important, and that is security for our country, and peace
and freedom around the world. And the fact that players are willing to
serve their communities reinforces that service of our troops.
So thanks for what you do. Congratulations for getting back here
to the Rose Garden. My hope, of course, is that I'm back here again to
see you next year. (Laughter.) Your hope is that you come back.
(Applause.)